It’s been proven that a plant-based diet is good for your weight, health, budget, and the environment, but the proof hasn’t come with a game plan—until now.

The way I interpret it, Lani takes the approach that a vegan, plant-based diet is a no brainer. The only stipulation is that people need help digesting it (no pun intended as a vegan diet provides plenty of fiber!). What I mean by this is that, it can be difficult to make a very large lifestyle change as this may require. Transitioning from eating dairy and meats, for example, is not an easy process. Many of us have been instructed since day 1 that these foods are good for you, and taste good too. While some may be conditioned to believe the latter is true (I, personally, am revolted/disgusted by the taste of meat, or 'dead animal flesh', as I call it now...), the former is becoming more and more false everyday as new science is beginning to see the true value of a whole foods, plant-based dietary lifestyle.

The Plant-Based Journey sets up the "journey" as a 5 step process. There is an underlying assumption that you are ready to start this new vegan lifestyle, but are uncertain of where to start.

The 5 Steps:

Awakening: Discover your “why” for eating plant-based

Scout: Assemble what you need for plant-based eating basics

Rookie: Increase the presence of plant foods on your plate with specific strategies and systems

Rockstar: Take your newfound plant-based eating success on the road and to social and family situations

I believe this step-by-step setup immediately makes The Plant-Based Journey (both the book and the reality) much more accessible. Many books of this nature seem to settle on discussing food and diet, but as noted at Step #4, there are other components of living a plant-based, vegan lifestyle than just what we eat. As I often point out here at Plant-Smart Living, this is more than just a diet, is is truly a lifestyle.

As a lifestyle choice, veganism becomes difficult for some of us who decide to try and share this information with family and friends. The social component of veganism can be difficult because often family and friends are so rooted in their belief that "meat is good for you" or "the environment will get along just fine on it's own." It's possible you may have heard something like this already. Most people are not poorly intentioned when they say these things, but I do think they are ignorant to reality.

In reading through other reviews from individual's who have already purchased and read through this book, another section that comes to stand out and that may appeal to you especially is Chapter 8: Creating Systems for Success. She provides easy plant-based meal planners, go-to meals, and recipe templates. As pointed out by a reviewer on Amazon, sometimes all we need is a template to get started, and from that we can create the rest.

I would say that The Plant-Based Journey is an excellent resource, especially for those who are just starting out with a plant-based diet and lifestyle, but struggling to make sense of it. This book provides some much needed structure to the madness of making significant lifestyle changes, and can serve as a core point of reference as you evolve from a diet that is slowly killing you to a diet that can save your life. The Plant-Based Journey is available on Amazon in paperback and digital formats.

If you're more interested in a book that deep dives into the scientific component of a plant-based diet, I would suggest checking out our reviews on The Starch Solution and How Not to Die.